Adolescent’s Orquesta is a salsa group from Venezuela that took off during the 1990s and is still active to this day. They had a boom in the industry due to their concentration on romantic salsa; their music usually had a taboo or a relatable theme in their lyrics that would capture the interest of listeners. Most songs are about how the circumstances or reasons keep a pair away from each other or when one of the pair wants to revive the relationship after a breakup. However, they have taken some risks talking about taboo topics like virginity or love triangles. Their themes may seem unique to a small group, but the tales they tell in their songs are more common than one might think. 

In the hit song “Clase Social” translated to “Social Status” Adolescent’s Orquesta sings about a couple who have two different social statuses. With one being of a lower class and the other being part of the higher class. Their lyrics translate to, “…and your mother suffers when she takes a look at you… there are already suitors, luxury, cars, and people with big names and a high social status. And the humble man she cries for suffers a lot, he adores her.” A simple but very relatable topic to some individuals. There is a person of a higher class with whom you have fallen in love with, they may or may not feel the same way about you, but because of the social differences, people will spread rumors of interest in money and not real love. The chorus of this song contradicts these ideas of false love, “(You can’t ever force whom you can love) love is born unexpectedly (and when you love you speak with truth).” In a way speaking up against the idea of any other interest other than love for the other person. Not only do the lyrics speak about the duality of a relationship like this, but the instrumental can have an ambiguous intention; it goes from trumpets, drums, and piano to a Spanish guitar rhythm, which are the elements of salsa. However, there is a stop in between which can reflect the two lovers; trumpets and drums being the humbler partner, whereas the fancy guitar rift is the partner with a higher social status. Their love seemed to be impossible, something only seen in movies and telenovelas, but with millions of streams on platforms like YouTube and Spotify, it can safely be assumed that people related to the situation depicted in the song. This is only one of Adolescent’s Orquesta’s popular songs, they also have a known song about a relationship that was but will not be anymore. 

In “Arrepentida,” which translates to “Regretful,” the group uses the idea of cheating and regrets to relate to their listeners once more. The lyrics translate to, “… I knew that in three months you would come back to my side, I can see it on your face, you regret it. It’s too late, I already stopped loving you, I have pride, you will not play with me anymore.” They sing about a woman who cheated on her partner and when realizing it was a mistake she wants to go back with her ex, and this is his response. They also use a clever way to show the man was over it; around halfway through the song the chorus goes “Oleee!, Oleee!” referring to matadors and bulls. In Hispanic culture getting the horns is a synonym for being cheated on and there lies the reference as he goes, “For me?” and “Nah” to show that he is over it and does not care if people make fun of him for it. “I do not want to have you; I do not want to possess you. What happened? You wanted to wander, alone you will be.” With these harsh words, he rejects her letting her know that there is no way back into the relationship, and it was all her fault. Many want to get over their previous partners, even more, if they are not loyal to you. This song supports the idea of moving on and not letting the person who betrayed you back into your life. Just like the song “Clase Social” this song was well received as many used it to drown their sorrows by listening to it while drinking or reminiscing. Although cheating was a topic not everyone would be willing to speak about openly, it is not as taboo as speaking about virginity and the social pressure that comes with it. 

In their song “Virgen” which translates to “Virgin” Adolescent’s Orquesta sings about a man who is dating a woman who claims to be a virgin and he finds out that she is lying about it. The lyrics translate to, “It is not your first time, I already noticed. Do not cry, do not be afraid. That is not everything when it comes to love.” Exposing her partner with the secret that she is not a virgin he makes her cry, making her feel ashamed since virginity is a symbol of purity and in her head, he would not see her the same way anymore. However, he consoles her and tells her there is more to love than just being the first. “Do not think I am like that other who tricked your innocence… Something failed and that is what I am here for, to talk to you about love.” He claims her last relationship to be a failure because she was tricked by another man and wants to show her what real love is. “I am the man that will die with you, my love. I respect and was born for you… him who stepped on your rose and believed it to be dead, and me who picked it up to see it grow. I will love and protect you.” He gives her reassurance that this will not be like her previous relationship and that it will be more about being cared for and seeing more than just a sexual object. “It’s that God sent me for you, to adore you for my whole life.” Adding a religious entity to the mix makes the idea that they are made for each other even stronger. The chorus goes “(I do not care) I do not care about your past.” To reiterate once more that he is not concerned with whoever was before him and that he only sees forwards in this relationship with her where he wants to show her nothing but love and how beautiful it can be, to show her that she can be loved by a man, even if she is not a virgin. Adolescent’s Orquesta know that this is something that happens often, therefore they put it out there to show that it is fine to not be a virgin, as it is not the center of everything. Once more, giving light to a topic that is not spoken about more often, although it is common.  

Impossible love, cheating, virginity, and more, Adolescent’s Orquesta is a group that will pull the emotions out of you one way or another. With themes that are sensitive or private to an individual and lyrics that would make you relate to what is being sung, they show you that things like this can happen to anyone, anywhere. Their music spread widely across Latin America, and their millions of listeners prove that their themes are not as infrequent as you may think.